Apparatus for molding strip material



June 15, 1948.

U. .C. HAREN APPARATUS FOR MOLDING STRIP MATERIAL 2 Sheets- Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 7 23, 1945 an/ mm ZYLFEZZZ'JL M a 0 n a June 15,1948.

U., C. HAREN APPARATUS FOR MOLDING STRIP MATERIAL I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 25, 1945 Patented June 15, 1948 APPARATUS FOR MOLDING STRIP MATERIAL Urban C. Hal-en, Akron, Ohio, assignor to The B. F. Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 23, 1945, Serial No. 630,499

4 Claims. (01. 18-17) This invention relates to apparatus for use in molding strip sheet material and is especially useful in molding transmission belts, although the invention is also useful in molding other sheet material.

I-Ieretofore in the molding of flat transmission belts, difliculty has been experienced in providing confining pressure to the edges of the belt such as to mold the belt with a square edge.

Objects of the invention are to provide for applying pressure to the edge of the belt while it is confined in a press, to provide for simultaneously molding a plurality of belts, to provide quick release of pressure, and to facilitate change to different sizes of belts.

These and other objects will appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

Of the drawings,

Figv 1 is a side elevation of a belt press provided with a gauge made in accordance with and embodying the invention, parts being broken away.

Fig. 2 is a section thereof taken on line .2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section thereof, taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section of the gauge, taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1 showing parts of the belts and the press platen, other parts being broken away.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the end of the wedge member, parts being broken away.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral Ill designates the upper fixed platen, and the numeral II the lower movable platen of a hydraulic press such as is used for vulcanizing belting or other sheet material. The lower platen is supported by a plurality of rams l3 actuated by hydraulic cylinders l4. Strain rods l5 connect the cylinders to the upper platen l0 and act also as guides for the movable lower platen. The upper and lower platens are chambered, as at I 6, ll, respectively, for circulation of steam or other heated fluid for providing vulcanizing heat. Sheet material 18 is usually vulcanized by passing it between the separated platens and closing the platens thereagainst step by step, the material being clamped between the platens at each step a sufficient time to accomplish vulcanization. For gauging the thickness of the vulcanized material and molding its margins, strips 2t, 2! of metal are placed at the margins of the material and limit closing of the press.

To provide for vulcanizing a plurality of strips of belting or other sheet material arranged side by side in a single press, and to provide for pressing the intermediate contiguous edge of the belts, I provide a pair of movable gauge strips 22, 23 between the platens and resting upon the lower platen. The gauge strips 22, 23 have stepped inclined edge faces 24, 25 facing each other for engaging complemental stepped inclined edge faces of an adjustable wedge member 26 located therebetween. The arrangement is such that when the wedge member is moved lengthwise of the gauge strips in one direction, or toward the left as seen in Fig. 3, the gauge strips are forced apart laterally of the press, and when the wedge member ismoved in the opposite direction, pressure of the gauge strips laterally against the marginsof the belt strip is released. The belt material is laterally confined during vulcanizing between the .gauge strips 20, 2| fixed to the lower platen and the movable gauge strips 22, 23 and its edges are molded to correspond to the gauge strips.

To provide mechanism independent of the press and freely removable therefrom for operating the wedge member .26, the narrowed end 21 of the wedge member is secured at its sides to the limbs of a U-shaped stirrup member 28, as by welding 29. A box or reaction member 30 surrounds the stirrup member but does not have contact therewith. One open end of the box member rests against the end faces of the platens Ill, l I but is not secured thereto. A pressure fluid cylinder 3! has ears 32, 33 at its closed end which are secured to the upper and lower sides of the box member 30, as by :bolts 34, 35. A piston 36 fitted to slide in the cylinder is fixed to a piston rod 31 which in turn is secured to the stirrup 23 by a pin it. A compression coil spring M is located about the piston rod within the cylinder between the piston 36 and the rod end of the cylinder. A pipe 2 connects the cylinder to aconvenient source of hydraulic pressure fluid or to an exhaust outlet by way of a three-way control valve (not shown) whereby fluid may be admitted to the cylinder to advance the piston to the left of Figs. 1, 3, and 5 thereby moving the stirrup 28 and the Wedge member 26 in the same direction, reaction of the cylinder being against the ends of the platens It], H. Upon release of pressure in the cylinder, as by opening the cylinder through the control valve to exhaust the cylinder, the coil spring returns the piston toward the right of Figs. 1, 3 and 5 and moves the stirrup and the wedge member in the opposite direction.

For removably retaining the fences 22, 23 in in proper alignment. The fences are also formed.

at their ends beyond the press platens with upstanding apertured ears B, 5|Itl'iroughi"which"?v bolts 52, 53 extend. Compression coil springs 54, 55 are positioned on eachbolt between an end. The arrangement is! of the bolt and a fence. such that the springs force the fences toward each other against the wedge member, while the entire apparatus may be removed Hom -thepress when the press is open.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

With thelower platen of the press lowered and the .pipe Mkopenedlth'rough the .control' valve to exhaust thecyli'nder 31, the wedge member 26 willlbe .in .the full line position as shown .inFig. sand strips.of'beltingmaterial may be .advanced between the platens. andrb'etween' eachistationary fence 2B, 21. and its opposing moveable fence 22', 23 The platen I I is then raisediunder "hydraulic pressure to clamp" the strip: material lightly. Then hydraulic fiiiid'under pressure isadmitte'd through the pipe 42*to cylinder 3! causingthe piston 3tlto advance," compressing: the spring H and advancing-the wedge member-26' to the left in. Fig. 3 to the. dot-and dasn position thereby applyingpressureto the fences-22; 23 and 'movihgth'em. outwardly againstthe strip material. The hydraulic'pressure applied" toplosezthepress is then increased! duringv vulcanization of the strips. When thestrips' have been vulcanized, the pipe. 4! is opened 'to exhaust andthepress platen H isv lowered: As the hydraulic-pressure is released againstpi'ston 36; coil" spring tll moves the wedge member 26 to the right in Fig. 3-and the springs 54,1 55 force the "fences-2'2; 23 toward each. other releasing? pressure-laterally against the strips of'vulcanizedtmaterial.

Variations" may be made without departing from. the scope .oftheinvention as it 'is' defined bythe .following claims:

Ijlclaim:

1. Apparatus for laterallyconfining' and pressing .strip materialinr a space'bet-ween' the mold ingpl'atensofta press';saidapparatus comprising a fence insertable in a" space between press platens said'ifence having, retaining means to extend beyond'the'ends-of a platen for engaging over the ends of "th'e*p1aten'-,- a wedge" member supportedby said platen adjacent said fence and movable therealong foradjusting said' fence across the platens, and" power operated means having'a reaction member engaging said platen at fan end thereof-for moving said wedge member' along'said'fence; said apparatus being' insert'abie' and *removable 'as a unit when said"press is opened;

2. Apparatus for laterally confining and pressing strip material in a space between the molding platens of a press, said apparatus comprising a fence insertable in a space between the platens, said fence having retaining means extending beyond the ends of a platen for engaging over the ends: of the platen, a wedge member supported by said'platen adjacent said fence andmovable therealong for adjusting said fence across the faces of the platens, power-operated means havingeaereactionmember engaging said platen at antend thereof for moving said wedge member along said... fence, and spring means opposing .movementof-Isaidfence by said wedge member,

said:.=.apparatuspbeing insertable and removable as a unit when said press is opened.

3 Apparatusforlaterally confining and pressingFstrip. material in a space between the molding platens of a press, said apparatus comprising a pair of fences insertable in a space between the platens; said" fences having retaining means to extend beyond theendsof aplaten for engaging over'the ends of one of the platens, a wedge member'supported by said platen between said fences and movable therealong for adjusting said fences with relation to each other across the plzitensyand power operated means having a reaction-member'engaging said platen at an end thereof for moving said wedge member along saidfences; said apparatus being insertable and removable-asa unit when said press is opened.

41' Apparatus for laterally confining and pressing'stripimaterial in a space between the molding platens of a press, said" apparatus comprising apair of fences insertable'in a space between the platens; said-fences having retaining means to extendbeyond the ends of a' platen for engaging over the ends of a platen, a wedge membersupported by said platen betweensa-id fences and movable therealong for adjusting said fences withrelation to: each other across the platens, powereoperatedm'eans having a reaction member engagingsaidplaten at an end thereof for movingsaid wedgemember along said fences, andspring means opposing movement of said fences by, said wedge member, said apparatus beinginsertable" and removable as a unit when said' press is opened.

URBAN C. KAREN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,708,178 Hottel Apr. 9, 1929 2",542Zf769 suchann Feb. 29, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 510,838 Germany Oct. 23, 1930 

